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CHRISTINE
TELL MLA – Provincial Update – June 3, 2009 Cabinet
Shuffle Greetings!
On
May 29, 2009 I assumed my new duties as Minister of Government Services,
Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority and
Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Capital Commission. Our
first 18 months in government has been amazing and I am honoured to
represent and serve Regina Wascana Plains as your MLA and as Minister
of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport. I witnessed the Saskatchewan spirit
in rural and urban areas of the entire province. I am certain that
we live among the greatest people and the most beautiful landscapes in
Canada if not the world! I
am looking forward to
serving as your MLA for the second half of our mandate. We
have accomplished a lot together and we have more to do. I will be
out in the community, going door to door over the next few months, asking
for thoughts and opinions on what you think we should focus on
over the next few years. Please feel free to contact our
constituency office should I miss you at the door. Have
a great Saskatchewan summer. Stay safe. Christine Tell _______________________________________________________________________________
Regina
Wascana Plains 2nd Annual Constituency Picnic/BBQ I
would like to invite you, your family and friends to our 2nd
Annual picnic/BBQ to be held on Tuesday, June 16 at Hawrylak School on
Assiniboine Ave. in Regina from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M.It will be a great
opportunity for you to drop in after work, have supper, meet your
neighbours and provide me with feedback on provincial issues. Thanks to
our sponsors, there will be no cost there will be activities for the kids.
I look forward to seeing you there. Spring
Session Focused on the Economy The
government focused on keeping
the province’s economy strong and steady during
the spring session of the provincial legislature. We delivered one of the
only balanced budgets in Canada, provided historic property tax relief and
further increased our record investment in infrastructure. While
most other provinces were plunged into deficit, our economy remained
relatively strong. Recent job numbers showed Saskatchewan is the
only province with more people working over the last year. While we
are not immune to the effects of the global recession, our diversified
economy, tax cuts and infrastructure spending helped keep our economy
strong. The
balanced 2009-10 budget provided more than $100 million in property tax
relief for Saskatchewan people. By increasing the
government’s share of education funding and setting a province-wide mill
rate, our government passed along significant tax savings to many property
owners. Combined with last fall’s income tax cuts, we have
provided families and individuals with more than $700 million in tax
relief. Building
on last year’s $1 billion Ready for Growth infrastructure program and
the $500 million “economic booster shot” announced earlier this year,
we invested a further $1 billion in infrastructure. That included $100
million in per capita funding for every Saskatchewan municipality to allow
them to proceed immediately with projects such as sewer or road repairs.
Through investing in highways, schools, nursing homes and the province’s
first Children’s Hospital, our government is taking action to ensure a
secure future for Saskatchewan people. During
the spring session of the legislature, our government continued to keep
the promises we made leading up to the 2007 election, which included a
long-term solution for municipal revenue sharing. We announced
a new revenue sharing formula which provides funding to municipalities
based on 90 per cent of the PST this year, then one percent in future
years. Municipal leaders praised our solution as long overdue. Over
the last 11 weeks, we took action to address 16 years of neglect of rural
Saskatchewan. We announced a $71.4 million assistance program for
hog and cattle producers. We acted on our promised review of Crop
Insurance, through higher coverage and lower premiums. The
improvements to Crop Insurance are part of a $177.5 million increase to
the Ministry of Agriculture’s total budget. That is a 58 per
cent increase over last year. Within three years, rural Saskatchewan
will have 100 per cent high speed internet coverage and 98 per cent cell
coverage. We are spending $630 million on highway construction, the
largest ever single-year investment. Our
government took further steps to assist Saskatchewan families.
We announced 1,000 more child care spaces, which will provide parents with
more options. We listened to disabled persons calling for a new,
dignified, less-intrusive income support program. That program comes
into effect this fall. Your Saskatchewan Party government
implemented Rapid Response Teams to support families affected by layoffs.
We provided funding for Habitat for Humanity homes across the province. In
just 18 months our government has kept more than 100 of the promises we
made during the last election campaign. With almost all of those promises
kept, MLAs will be meeting with constituents over the summer to get their
ideas on what our government should be doing to keep Saskatchewan moving
forward.
“Standout
Athlete, Lowenberger, Traveling to New York City with Triple Crown USA
Team” Twelve
years ago, Janean Lowenberger of Pilot Butte set foot on a softball field
for the first time, not knowing that years later she would be the only
player from Canada nominated for the 2009 Triple Crown USA team. Chosen by
college coaches at the 2008 Triple Crown World Series in Park City, UT,
Lowenberger will travel to New York City with the Triple Crown USA team
July 12 -17, 2009. “I
have always dreamed of going to New York, but I never thought it would be
for ball,” stated Lowenberger while thumbing through her sample
itinerary. While in New York City with the Triple Crown USA team,
Lowenberger will play fastpitch in the middle of Central Park, be coached
by college coaches, feel the excitement of Times Square, attend a Broadway
Show, enjoy a double decker bus tour, and take in a harbor cruise. Lowenbergers
parents also get to experience New York City. Being “parents of active
children” Fred and Jean Lowenberger have always encouraged their kids
and will support Janean in New York City. Fred and Jean have the
opportunity to see their daughter play fastpitch in Central Park as well
as experience all the activities on the schedule along with Janean. Not
only is Janean talented on the field, she possesses many talents off the
field as well. In addition to playing competitive fastpitch for 12 years,
she has a 90 + average in school, plays the flute and piccolo, is an
athletic trainer for the football team, has had the lead female role in
school musicals, and has excelled in track and hockey. Her talent is
family wide with her grandmother, Janet Perkin being a pitcher for the
All-American Girls Baseball team Kenosha Komets in 1946. Also, her eldest
brother played baseball in North Dakota for the Williston Titans.
Janean’s motivation has made her a well rounded person and Triple Crown
is excited to have her on the 2009 Triple Crown USA team. Janean
graduates from Greenall High School in Balgonie this year. Municipal
Economic Enhancement Program Allocations The
Provincial Government under the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP)
Municipal Allocations provided the City of Regina with $19, 499.602.00,
Pilot Butte $203,105.00, White City $121,080.00 and the R.M. of Edenwold
received $392,829.00 $161
MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING The
Saskatchewan Party government is partnering with the federal government to
improve the lives of families with $161 million to build new and renovate
affordable housing units across the province. This follows on our
government’s previous announcements which include $1 million for Habitat
for Humanity to construct 20 new homes, the doubling of the Seniors Income
Plan and $29.9 million in accelerated funding for affordable housing. Over
the last 18 months our government has also increased the Saskatchewan
Assistance Program (SAP), the Transitional Employment Program (TEA), the
Provincial Training Allowance (PTA) and the Sask Rental Housing Supplement
(SRHS) in response to the Task Force on Housing Affordability. This
funding is part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, which includes
building new and renovating existing social housing across Canada. The
federal contribution will be $84 million while our government is investing
$77 million. This
significant investment will build a better future for Saskatchewan
families, seniors and persons with disabilities. CREATING
JOBS ACROSS SASKATCHEWAN The
Saskatchewan Party government is taking action to improve Saskatchewan’s
infrastructure, stimulate our economy and create jobs with a $71 million
strategic investment into 61 projects across the province. The funding is
a joint investment by the provincial and federal governments under the new
Infrastructure Stimulus Fund announced in Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
The
federal $4-billion infrastructure
fund
provides funding to provincial and municipal infrastructure projects that
will be built during this year’s and next year’s construction seasons.
Saskatchewan will receive a joint federal-provincial investment of $160.2
million ($89.2M federal, $71.0M provincial) under the Infrastructure
Stimulus Fund. With municipal and other contributions, the overall
investment could grow to more than $209 million. Projects being funded
include several highway and local roads improvements and wastewater
initiatives. Our province is one of the first to provide the federal
government with a list of ready-to-build projects because of our strategic
approach to transportation infrastructure planning. Our government’s
infrastructure plan includes a Five Year Capital Plan, a Rural Highway
Strategy, a Preservation Resurfacing program; and a Bridge and Culvert
program. This infrastructure investment will improve our quality of
life and ensure Saskatchewan people continue to benefit from our economic
strength, stability and growth. Input
Requested Please
consider writing a letter outlining your thoughts regarding value-added
uranium activity in Saskatchewan. Please
mail the letter to Dan
Perrins,
Chair – Future of Uranium in Saskatchewan, PO Box 7, Regina, SK S4P 2Z5.
Letters may also be emails to dan.perrins@saskuranium.ca.
Don’t forget to include your name and full mailing address _______________________________________________________________________________ Staying
in Touch I
appreciate the many opportunities to make a positive difference in our
constituency. Your phone calls, letters and emails make a big difference in
keeping me informed on the issues that matter to you. If
you would like to recognize anyone or have your event mentioned in this
newsletter, please don’t hesitate to contact me. _______________________________________________________________________________ This
newsletter is produced with the assistance of the Saskatchewan Party Caucus
Office. |
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